Fred Flies Again
by thehappystalkerball
Summary: Takes place during epilogue.  George sends the kids off to Hogwarts in style!


This takes place during the epilogue (Or something I _wished_ would've). I think that since life is full of twists, that at least one of George's kids would be like Percy (and it would so be the one named Fred because that is so ironic!). Of course, one or two of Percy's kids would be like the twins.

I do not own Harry Potter.

And on with the story...

Albus hung limply out the window, half-heartedly waving good-bye to his parents as the Hogwarts Express rolled onwards. His parents were slowly dimming in the distance as the train hadn't picked up full speed yet. Harry stared after his son, sympathy etched into his features. He attempted to give his most encouraging smile, hoping his son could draw some courage from it. A loud voice suddenly cut through all the steam shrouding the platform.

"James Potter! Come to the back of the train, please!" it was an urgent but self-assured voice. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermoine all looked around wildly for the owner of the voice, recognizing it in an instant. Harry saw James suddenly appear at the caboose of the train and wondered why James wasn't always capable of such instant obedience at home and school. James was practically hanging over the railing at the end of the train and Harry desperately wished he would just go back to his compartment. James's shout rang out across the platform.

"Uncle George! You're too old for Hogwarts!"

"Never too old for anything!" was the shouted, amused reply. Harry spotted George racing towards the train at an amazing speed, clutching a very pale red-haired eleven year- old on his right and a large trunk on his left. The boy was gripping a cage that had an owl in it so tightly his knuckles were white. He looked terrified, shooting people on the platform desperate looks. It looked as though George was completely unaffected by the heavy weights on either side of him as he glided effortlessly towards the caboose where James waited, grinning like he was in on a great joke.

James leaned even further over the railing much to both his parents' horror. "You're late, you know!" He called out clearly enjoying the attention he was receiving and the sight of his uncle and cousin racing towards him at such a speed.

"Yes!" George replied, not slowing, "Little Fred Jr. here thought he could escape the wonders of Hogwarts using an Invisi Bill, but he seems to have forgotten who his father is!"

"Ah, my little cousin is scared of going to school? Don't worry, Fred, my brother is scared, too." He winked at his stricken-looking cousin while another voice joined their wild, shouted conversation, indignant.

"Hey, I'm _not _scared!" Albus practically screamed, forgetting it wasn't necessary to shout everything. He promptly turned bright red realizing his parents, sister, and relatives had probably heard. He looked over at George and Fred, who were quickly closing the gap between them and the moving train. "Hi, Uncle George! Fred! How're you going to get on?"

"That's why I called James!" George beamed at them, not breaking stride. He had finally caught up enough so they could see each other clearly despite the mists that surrounded the area. He looked at James, eyes twinkling. "You can catch, right?"

"Of _course_!"

"What?" shrieked Fred. "You're going to _throw_ me? That _can't_ be allowed!"

"Adventure is _always_ allowed," George assured his son. "Besides I'm not going to _throw_ you." Fred sagged with visible relief but his horror was quick to return at his father's next words, "I'm going to _toss_ you!"

"I can _definitely_ catch him, Uncle George!" James boasted confidently, leaning back a little, then throwing his arms wide open over the railing, prepared to catch any flying objects, or persons, aimed in his general direction. Albus looked over at his brother in alarm. He barely managed a panicked "What?" before George acted.

"Okay!" George cried, coming to a halt and without pause he effortlessly tossed the frightened Fred high into the air. Fred made a perfect arc and landed right into James's outstretched arms. Harry stared, expecting James to topple over with the extra weight, but nothing happened. James hung onto Fred as though he had caught nothing heavier than a Snitch at a Quidditch match.

Without warning, Albus found a trunk zooming towards him, the shout, "Catch, Albus!" coming a bit too late for his comfort. He cowered for a moment, expecting to wake up in St. Mungo's with bits of trunk embedded in him. The trunk stopped abruptly right in front of Albus and thudded gently to the floor at his feet. George winked at him. Albus looked from George to James and back again in awed horror. Fred clung to James, all color drained from his face, looking aghast, owl hanging haphazardly over the railing. Albus was quick to rescue it from it's precarious position.

"Fred, listen to James!" George hollered after them. "Albus, James, have fun, take care, and all that!" He waved as the caboose got steadily further away from him.

"Don't worry!" James hollered back, "We'll _all_ have a _blast_!" he cried ecstatically while the other two boys could only cringe at the undisguised glee in his voice.

George's laughter drifted throughout the platform, bringing most parents out of their state of stupor at the bizarre event they had just witnessed. He turned and spotted Harry and Ginny staring along with Ron and Hermoine. Smiling brightly he walked over to them. "Hi, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermoine!" He looked down at Lily and Hugo, "Hey, you two!

Ginny's mouth was agape and she couldn't seem to get it to work properly. Lily grinned as if she had just seen the best show on earth and greeted her uncle excitedly. Harry and Ron weren't sure what to say and Hermoine looked as stunned as Ginny.

A voice Harry had heard when they had first arrived at the station broke the silence. "What was _that?_" Only one person Harry knew could sound simultaneously demanding, astounded, and yet not seem undignified. Harry glanced over at Percy, feeling dread settle in his insides. Percy was going to give them all a sermon on how to properly board children on the Hogwarts Express, he just knew it. Not that George didn't need it, he thought, but all the rest of them had followed the rules rather well. Percy had come up from behind them, followed closely by his wife, Penelope, and four of their six girls. The other two had boarded the train and the four remaining seemed to be positively thrilled to see their aunts, uncles, and cousins.

George grinned at them. His long hair was matted and he panted slightly but looked pleased with himself, nonetheless. "Hi, Perce! Penny, girls!" he greeted each of them with a nod. The girls waved back distractedly, now enthralled in conversation with Lily and Hugo.

Percy frowned. "What was that? You just threw your kid onto a moving train!" Harry remained quiet as Percy's accusation was certainly not unfounded in the slightest. George seemed to think differently and looked honestly appalled at such an accusation.

"What? Throw my kid onto a moving train? I'd never do such a thing!"

"Then-then _what_ was that?" Percy demanded. "Just now."

"Just now?" George asked and Harry wasn't sure if George was feigning confusion or not. George looked at where the train had been heading, then sudden realization seemed to dawn upon his features. His eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh! Oh, that!"

"Yes! _That!_ What would you call that?" Percy asked, impatience clear in his tone.

"Oh, I'd call it gently tossing my child into the waiting arms of my loving nephew."

Percy looked absolutely stunned. "What?" he asked in a very small voice.

"You heard me!" George beamed, "Besides, it was _James_. I knew he'd catch. He's got Harry, Ginny, Charlie, and Harry's dad's Seeker blood running through him."

"But Fred's not a Snitch!" Percy cried.

George's eyes sparkled with mischief and Harry found himself smiling. "Maybe he's not," George explained, "But for a whole hour he only weighs that of a Snitch. So did the trunk."

"Oh! I was wondering how you managed that without dropping anything," Hermoine voiced what Harry had been thinking earlier, then added as an afterthought, "or anyone."

"I always wished Mum would've tossed one of us on the train like that," George confided in them, a wistful note in his voice.

Percy gave him a disapproving look. "So, you're living vicariously through your son?"

"Of course not"! George defended himself. "He's living _vivaciously_ through me!" Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermoine all broke out into laughter, commenting that his son was certainly getting a taste of the vivacious life. Even Percy laughed admitting he couldn't argue with that while the girls and Hugo could be heard asking George to send _them_ off to Hogwarts in such an exuberant manner.


End file.
